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56-acre lake in Nipissing District, Ontario. The lake tops out around 30 ft. The depth data here comes from the Ontario MNRF survey of 1990 (a transect sounding survey). Here's the year, species by species, as the scoring engine sees it.
Drawn out, this is 56 acres of water rimmed by 1.4 miles of bank. Its 1.4 shoreline index means few bank features; the contours below do the pattern work. About 62% of the surface sits shallower than 15 ft — that's the weed-and-bait zone. Tip to tip the water measures near 0.4 mi with a 0.4-mi widest point. You'll find it in Nipissing District. For a second option, Cashel Lake lies 2 mi west.
The spring pattern is a shallow one: brook trout in 2 to 15 ft. As the season builds they drop to 10 to 30 ft, wintering in 3 to 20 ft. Top water on the chart: Deep basin, a deep basin in the 30 ft range, prime in summer. Time it for early morning and the evening. Summer baits: a small spoon fished deep or a trolled lake-clear wobbler + worm gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (8 ft) | Small inline spinner (gold), Tiny spoon |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Deep basin (30 ft) | Small spoon fished deep, Trolled lake-clear wobbler + worm |
| Fall | 2 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (8 ft) | Small spoon (orange), Spinner |
| Winter | 3 to 20 ft | dawn | Break off the point (20 ft) | Small jigging spoon, Tungsten jig + plastic |
Early season yellow perch use the shallows, holding in 3 to 12 ft. Summer is a 10 to 30 ft game here, winter a 9 to 30 ft one. The chart's best answer is Deep basin — deep basin, 30 ft, prime for fall. Best bite is early morning. Tie on a drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (2 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn | Deep basin (30 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 9 to 30 ft | midday | Deep basin (30 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 9 to 30 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (30 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
In spring, smallmouth bass run shallow here, mostly 3 to 12 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 10 to 30 ft before dropping to 9 to 30 ft for winter. Fall smallmouth bass concentrate at Main-lake point, a prime-rated point around 8 ft. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. You won't need more than a drop shot (goby/minnow) or a ned rig most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (8 ft) | Ned rig, Tube jig |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (20 ft) | Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig |
| Fall | 8 to 25 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (8 ft) | Jerkbait, Blade bait |
| Winter | 9 to 30 ft | midday | Break off the point (20 ft) | Blade bait, Hair jig |
Come spring, look for pumpkinseed tight to the bank in 1 to 8 ft. They move out to 2 to 10 ft in summer and finish the year down in 6 to 18 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Shallow bay flat: a weed flat around 2 ft that scores prime in spring. Best bite is the evening and early morning. A micro tube or a sponge spider (fly) is the honest summer answer here.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 8 ft | midday & dusk | Shallow bay flat (2 ft) | Micro jig under a float, Tiny beetle-spin |
| Summer | 2 to 10 ft | dusk & dawn | Shallow bay flat (2 ft) | Micro tube, Sponge spider (fly) |
| Fall | 4 to 14 ft | dusk & dawn | Shallow bay flat (2 ft) | Micro jig + waxworm, Small spoon tipped |
| Winter | 6 to 18 ft | dawn | Shallow bay flat (2 ft) | Tungsten ice jig + plastic, Tiny spoon |
Start shallow in spring: brown bullhead sit in 2 to 8 ft that time of year. Warm water sends them out to 3 to 12 ft; cold water stacks them in 10 to 25 ft. Top water on the chart: Shallow bay flat, a weed flat in the 2 ft range, prime in spring. Fish it in after dark and the evening and you'll meet the bite.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | dusk & night | Shallow bay flat (2 ft) | |
| Summer | 3 to 12 ft | night & dusk | Shallow bay flat (2 ft) | |
| Fall | 5 to 15 ft | dusk | Shallow bay flat (2 ft) | |
| Winter | 10 to 25 ft | midday | Deep basin (30 ft) |
5 pieces of structure are mapped here — Deep basin, around 30 ft, is the deepest of them.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Ontario waters are set by the Ontario fishing regulations (FMZ summary) — and special regulations can apply to Tern Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Ontario fishing regulations →
Tern Lake is about 30 ft (9 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth data here comes from the Ontario MNRF survey of 1990 (a transect sounding survey).
Anglers target brook trout, yellow perch, smallmouth bass, pumpkinseed, brown bullhead on Tern Lake. This isn't a survey of the lake — none is on record for it — but an informed estimate from the species Ontario's MNRF recorded in the nearest surveyed lakes, filtered to this lake's depth and habitat.
Deep basin is the top-rated area: a deep basin in about 30 ft of water that rates prime for yellow perch in fall. The interactive chart above rates every spot for each species and season.
For brook trout, the summer bite is best in early morning and the evening. Each species page section below lists the seasonal windows, and the map shows a live NOW badge when you're inside one.
Fishing on Tern Lake is regulated by the Ontario fishing regulations (FMZ summary). Check the official Ontario regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.
Cashel Lake 2 mi · West Harry Lake 2 mi · Clara Lake 2 mi · Red Lake 3 mi · Brown Lake 3 mi · Mossy Lake 3 mi · Lupus Lake 3 mi · Falcon Lake 3 mi · North Oak Lake 3 mi · McCraney Lake 3 mi · Norah Lake 3 mi · Weed Lake 3 mi
See how Tern Lake stacks up: best smallmouth bass lakes in Ontario · best yellow perch lakes in Ontario · best brook trout lakes in Ontario · best pumpkinseed lakes in Ontario
More water nearby: Nipissing District fishing maps (683 charts). Browse all Ontario fishing maps or see every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry credit: state fisheries survey programs. How we build these maps. Fish here with a sonar unit that logs? Send us your depth data and we'll improve this chart, credited to you. For fishing guidance only, never navigation.